HEADLINES

Kadarius Toney

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

November 16th, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Browns Add WR Kadarius Toney To Practice Squad

September 9th, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Kadarius Toney has found his next NFL gig. The wideout has landed with the Browns, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It’s a practice squad deal for Toney.

The receiver was cut by the Chiefs at the end of the preseason, ending an underwhelming one-plus year stint with the organization. Over the past week, he worked out with both the Seahawks and the Browns, and Week 1 developments may have convinced him to sign with Cleveland.

Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Browns wanted to add another pass-catcher after losing tight end David Njoku to a potential high ankle sprain. Rapoport hints that Toney might not earn a promotion for Week 2, but it shouldn’t take long until he finds himself on the field for the Browns.

The former first-round pick has shown brief flashes through his first three years in the NFL, but there’s also a good reason why he’s settling for taxi squad deals. Toney had 39 receptions as a rookie with the Giants, but that number slipped to 16 catches while splitting the 2022 campaign between New York and Kansas City. There was some hope after he hauled in seven catches during the Chiefs’ 2022 Super Bowl run, and he somewhat rebounded with 27 receptions in 2023. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep his gig with the Chiefs.

There are already plenty of offensive concerns in Cleveland after Deshaun Watson‘s miserable Week 1 performance. Things won’t get any easier with Njoku out of the lineup, and Toney’s addition won’t do much to turn around the team’s outlook. The team’s current WR depth chart is headlined by Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and Elijah Moore, with the likes of Jaelon Darden, 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman, and fifth-round rookie Jamari Thrash rounding out the receivers room. The Browns are also rostering additional WRs on the practice squad, including Michael Woods II, Lideatrick Griffin, James Proche, and David Bell.

Browns Host WR Kadarius Toney For Workout

September 6th, 2024 at 9:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Though Kadarius Toney‘s first three seasons have secured him two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Chiefs, his career thus far has been extremely disappointing for a first-round pick. The latest example saw Toney fail to make Kansas City’s 53-man roster to open the 2024 season. Now, Toney will attempt to earn a contract in Cleveland after a reported workout today, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

The Browns went relatively thin at wide receiver to start the year, only retaining six on their initial 53-man roster. Four receivers (Michael Woods, James Proche, Lideatrick Griffin and Jaelon Darden) already signed to the team’s practice squad, and third-year wideout David Bell was waived yesterday, leaving them with five currently on the active roster.

Cleveland was also recently on the losing end of the Brandon Aiyuk-sweepstakes after reportedly proposing to the star receiver a contract with an annual average value of $30MM, an amount Aiyuk would eventually accept to remain with the 49ers.

Currently, the Browns’ five on the active roster are Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, and Jamari Thrash. Tillman still has something to prove after a rookie season that contained 224 yards and zero touchdowns, and Thrash is still a fifth-round rookie himself, but Cooper, Jeudy, and Moore form what should be an extremely formidable starting three.

Cooper is the star of the group, and Moore was just okay as a WR2 in Cleveland last year but should be a pretty good WR3. Jeudy comes in as the new WR2 after four years of competing for the lead role with Courtland Sutton in Denver. The two traded success each year, and Jeudy’s lack of consistency has made it difficult to live up to his own first-round draft status. The hope is that he will be able to finally reach that potential in a new city with a new quarterback.

Toney was an electric talent with the ball in his hands in college at Florida. Since entering the NFL, that explosive big-play ability has surfaced here and there, but his inability to mature his game to an NFL-level in terms of route-running and good hands has prevented him from consistently being in a position to make those highlights as a pro. He recently met with the Seahawks, as well, in hopes of supplementing a diverse, talented corps in Seattle, but the visit didn’t culminate in a new deal.

In Cleveland, he would need to distinguish himself from Moore in terms of speed and big play ability. Moore has those same skills, but Toney has a bit more experience in terms participating in gadget plays. After Cleveland lost out on Aiyuk and waived Bell, though, Toney may be arriving at just the right time to earn a role with the Browns.

Seahawks Meet With WR Kadarius Toney

September 3rd, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

No team claimed Kadarius Toney‘s contract following his Chiefs exit, sending the former first-round pick to free agency. Unattached for just more than a week now, Toney is on the workout/meeting circuit.

The Seahawks are the first team to give the 2021 draftee a look, with ESPN’s Field Yates indicating the wideout’s Seattle meeting took place Tuesday. Given the talent Toney has flashed at points during an inconsistent career, it is unsurprising he is drawing interest.

Of course, Toney has undercut his occasionally electric displays with unreliability. The Chiefs had hoped to groom him as a No. 1-level wide receiver in 2023, having traded third- and sixth-round picks for the Florida alum before the 2022 deadline. While Toney made important contributions in Super Bowl LVII by reeling off the longest punt return in Super Bowl history and scoring a touchdown on a poorly defended goal-line play, he finished last season with just 27 receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown.

Toney, who infamously committed an offside infraction to negate his would-be go-ahead TD against the Bills, underwhelmed to the point the Chiefs’ passing attack performed better with the shifty WR off the field. Kansas City finished last season with Toney and Skyy Moore out of the mix. Toney took issue with his deactivations, with a memorable rant surfacing hours before the AFC championship game. The Chiefs made Toney a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII.

Andy Reid said Toney remained in the team’s plans despite his criticism of management, and a running back experiment ensued at training camp. Kansas City, however, has not seen Rashee Rice incur a suspension yet and added old friend JuJu Smith-Schuster shortly after his Patriots release. The Chiefs kept seven wideouts, carrying Marquise Brown on their 53-man roster rather than stash the free agency addition on IR, but did not find room for Toney. The Chiefs brought Justyn Ross back on a practice squad deal but did not retain Toney.

Seattle has a clear-cut top three at receiver, carrying the Tyler Lockett–D.K. Metcalf tandem into a sixth season and having first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba going into Year 2. UDFA Jake Bobo showed promise as a rookie as well, to the point the Seahawks waived 2021 second-round pick Dee Eskridge. Free agency addition Laviska Shenault and 2022 seventh-rounder Dareke Young round out Seattle’s receiving corps.

A practice squad opportunity may also present itself at some point for Toney, as it would surprise to see him remain in free agency for too long. Though, the injury-prone talent squandered an opportunity in Kansas City. His stock has dropped considerably as a result.

Chiefs To Waive WRs Kadarius Toney, Justyn Ross

August 27th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

In a move which has recently been foreshadowed, Kadarius Toney is being let go. The former first-round wideout is set to be waived by the Chiefs, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

As colleague Tom Pelissero notes, Kansas City had been trying to find a trade partner for Toney. With no agreement coming on that front, the defending champions will move on. After an underwhelming 2023 campaign, the 25-year-old was known to be on the Chiefs’ roster bubble. He will now hit the waiver wire. In addition to cutting Toney, the Chiefs are moving on from former UDFA Justyn Ross, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds.

Toney entered the league with high expectations based on his draft status and his highlight-reel ability shown in college. His tenure in New York after only 12 games, however, with a trade midway through the 2022 campaign sending him to Kansas City in return for third- and sixth-round picks. The Florida product had a strong showing in Super Bowl LVII, suggesting he would have a regular role during his first full campaign with the team.

Both Toney and Ross came with baggage, and the Chiefs augmented their receiver situation significantly since acquiring each. A former freshman standout at Clemson, Ross saw a neck injury alter his career. While he recovered, the ex-Trevor Lawrence target went undrafted. Ross also landed on the commissioner’s exempt list last season in connection with a domestic battery arrest.

Toney held a bigger role in Kansas City, but his issues staying healthy in New York carried over. Toney missed time due to multiple injuries, but the Chiefs’ offense fared better with the shifty Florida alum out of the mix late last season. Toney took issue with his Chiefs status last year, criticizing the team for keeping him sidelined during the playoffs. This blast came hours before the AFC championship game, and the Chiefs subsequently made Toney a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. Nevertheless, Andy Reid welcomed Toney back for the 2024 offseason program. An experiment with Toney as a running back did not pan out, either.

The Chiefs harbored hopes of turning Toney into their No. 1 receiver last year. He fell well short of expectations and played the lead role, with supporting contributions from Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, in a clunky season for Kansas City’s receiving corps — most memorably via the infamous offensive offside infraction that negated Toney’s own go-ahead TD against the Bills. The two-time defending champs signed Marquise Brown, drafted Xavier Worthy in Round 1 and just reunited with JuJu Smith-Schuster. The team also re-signed Mecole Hardman this offseason, crowding a receiving corps that suddenly has Moore in a fringe position.

If Toney goes unclaimed on waivers, the Chiefs will eat $2.53MM in dead money. A team claiming Toney would be on the hook for that total (his 2024 base salary), making it a bit easier to envision another club swooping in via free agency. That said, Toney has flashed brightly at points. He has just been wildly inconsistent, leading to this Chiefs separation.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post

WR Kadarius Toney On Chiefs’ Roster Bubble

August 23rd, 2024 at 9:48am CST by Adam La Rose

After an offseason featuring a number of moves made at the receiver position, questions remain with respect to the future of Chiefs wideout Kadarius Toney. The former trade acquisition is in a much different situation now than he was this time last offseason.

[RELATED: Chiefs Agree To Record-Breaking Extension With C Creed Humphrey]

Toney’s performance in Super Bowl LVII led to high expectations ahead of the 2023 campaign. Instead, the 2021 first-rounder struggled when on the field and found himself a healthy scratch midway through the season and into the playoffs. That stretch included accusations of the team lying about his health situation, but he remains in the fold for at least the immediate future.

Kansas City declined Toney’s 2025 fifth-year option, making him a pending free agent. The 25-year-old’s market will be dictated by his ability to stay on the field and deliver on the potential he has flashed at times during his NFL tenure. Toney was known to be a release candidate earlier this offseason, however, and head coach Andy Reid‘s latest comments on him confirm his roster spot is far from a guarantee,

“We went through last year with him, so we kind of know who he is,” Reid said in press conference following Kansas City’s preseason finale (video link). “He’s a talented kid. He’s in a battle to make the team and all that bit, but we’ve never questioned the talent there. Him staying healthy was the main thing.”

The defending champions added Marquise Brown in free agency and Xavier Worthy on Day 1 of the draft. They are positioned to occupy notable roles in Kansas City’s passing attack, and the same will likely be true of Rashee Rice once he is available to the team (which may end being as early as Week 1). Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson are also in place as depth receiver options.

While trying to find a role for Toney, the Florida alum has seen time at running back this summer. Reid’s remarks make Toney’s status one to watch closely as roster cutdowns loom, but at this point it would come as little surprise if he were to find himself on a new team come the fall.

Chiefs Rumors: CBs, Toney, Front Office

July 25th, 2024 at 8:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs have established a clear philosophy regarding cornerbacks, with the L’Jarius Sneed development the latest example of Kansas City’s view at this position. During the Patrick Mahomes era, at least, the Chiefs have been able to get by without a notable cornerback contract on the payroll.

Sneed followed Marcus Peters (2018), Steven Nelson (2019), Kendall Fuller (2020) and Charvarius Ward (2022) as one-contract players. As Steve Spagnuolo has completed a rebound from a disastrous St. Louis HC tenure and re-established himself as one of the NFL’s premier defensive minds, Kansas City has continued to plug in rookie-deal players into these positions. The two-time reigning champions will need to do so again, as Sneed is a Titan after a borderline-dominant contract year led to a tag-and-trade transaction.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs]

With Trent McDuffie‘s rookie contract running through 2025, the Chiefs still figure to have their CB anchor around for a bit. They also acquired Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson in 2022, giving them some time with another low-cost nucleus. But Sneed was an every-down player for both of the past two Super Bowl-winning Chiefs squads, giving Spagnuolo and Co. some work to do. Early in training camp, both Williams and Watson are in a wide-open competition that also features 2022 seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson, via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor.

While the Chiefs have 2023 fourth-rounder Chamarri Conner on track for versatile role post-Sneed, the team having four 2022 draftees/UDFAs (in Watson’s case) vying for roles at corner does well to illustrate the organization’s commitment to developing young talent at this position. Watson outsnapped Williams last season, 440-321, but the latter started four games as a rookie. Pro Football Focus rated Williams 25th at corner in 2023, with Watson settling in at a respectable 46th. Johnson has never logged a defensive snap and probably should be considered a long shot to beat out more established corners to start opposite McDuffie.

Shifting to the other side of the ball, the Chiefs are still trying to find a role for Kadarius Toney. Early in camp, the shifty but unreliable receiver has been working at running back at points, Taylor adds (subscription required). Making his most notable Chiefs contribution on a Super Bowl punt return, Toney has shown remarkable elusiveness. But the ex-Giants first-rounder, who is still working at receiver as well this summer, has made many mistakes and frequently run into injury trouble.

Our Ben Levine recently profiled Toney as a release candidate, as he has gone from a player the Chiefs had hoped could grow into their No. 1 wide receiver last season to a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII. The Chiefs’ offense functioned smoother with Toney and Skyy Moore sidelined during the playoffs, and the latter accused the team of lying about his injury. The Chiefs welcomed Toney back this offseason, but his status has certainly changed over the past year. Kansas City would be hit with a $2.5MM dead money charge by releasing Toney.

The Chiefs added Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy at receiver this offseason, and even though a Rashee Rice suspension is expected at some point, the Chiefs have a fairly clear top three at receiver. Toney and Moore do not stand to be part of that group, and with Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson also still with the club, a Toney roster spot should not be considered a lock. Andy Reid does reside as one of the most creative coaches in NFL, as his bevy of goal-line plays showcases annually, so the 12th-year Chiefs HC trying to find a gadget-type role for Toney is not too surprising.

Kansas City also added to its front office recently. A year after the Saints moved on from Ryan Herman, the Chiefs added the veteran exec as their senior football strategy and compliance advisor. Herman worked with Jeff Ireland in Miami and New Orleans, specializing in analytics.

Release Candidate: Kadarius Toney

July 20th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Chiefs navigated their post-Tyreek Hill offense, the front office was seeking reinforcement at the receiver position. One of the team’s most notable WR acquisitions was Kadarius Toney, who the Chiefs acquired from the Giants midway through the 2022 campaign. While Toney has won a pair of Super Bowl rings during his year-plus in Kansas City, the wideout hasn’t lived up to the billing. Now with only a year remaining on his rookie contract, it’s uncertain if he’ll even reach the 2024 campaign with the Chiefs.

A 2021 first-round pick by the Giants, Toney showed flashes during his rookie campaign, finishing with 39 catches for 420 yards. However, injuries quickly proved to be an issue in both 2021 and 2022, leading to the Giants deciding to cut bait. The Chiefs swooped in and acquired the intriguing wideout, sending New York a future third- and sixth-round pick.

Toney struggled to carve out a significant role during his first season in Kansas City, finishing with 14 receptions in seven games. He showed out a bit in that year’s playoffs, finishing with 50 yards in Kansas City’s divisional-round victory before setting the Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return (while also hauling in a touchdown). With JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman out the door, Toney had a chance to step into a major role with Patrick Mahomes heading into 2023.

Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the third-year pro. Toney was unable to emerge ahead of Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (and, of course, TE Travis Kelce). The Chiefs even went out and re-acquired Hardman, leading to Toney being inactive for four of the team’s final seven games, plus each of the Chiefs’ four playoff contests.

Heading into the 2024 campaign, Toney faces even more competition than he did last year. The Chiefs were quick to add Marquise Brown on a one-year agreement, and they moved up in the first round to select Xavier Worthy. That leaves Toney to compete with many of the same WRs who he was unable to supplant during the 2023 season, but there are fewer roster spots this time around.

Rice’s future is in question following some troubling off-the-field incidents, but the 2023 second-round pick notably finished his rookie season with 935 yards from scrimmage. Hardman and Watson were ahead of Toney at the end of the 2023 season, and the team is also still rostering 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore. Even when accounting for Rice’s uncertain roster status, Toney would have to leap at least one player if he hopes to make the roster.

The Chiefs unsurprisingly declined Toney’s fifth-year option back in May, making the wide receiver a free agent after this season. While moving on from his $2.5MM salary in 2024 wouldn’t provide any cap relief, the dead cap charge isn’t enough to make his cut untenable. With only three seasons under his belt, Toney would be subject to waivers, and his draft pedigree could be enough for a team to bite. More likely, Toney will hit free agency before having to settle for a lower salary (and/or even a practice squad gig).

Chiefs Decline WR Kadarius Toney’s Fifth-Year Option

May 3rd, 2024 at 8:45am CST by Adam La Rose

Kadarius Toney is on track to remain with the Chiefs this season, but his future beyond that point is uncertain. The ex-Giant receiver’s fifth-year option has been declined, per ESPN’s Adam Teicher.

[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]

Toney would have cost $14.35MM in 2025 had Kansas City picked up his option, so it comes as little surprise the team has elected against doing so. The 25-year-old had a season to forget in 2023, finding himself on the injury report 19 weeks out of 21 (a matter of contention by the end of the postseason) and frequently struggling with drops. In all, Toney totaled just 169 yards and one touchdown on 27 catches.

Midway through his second season in the league, the Florida product was dealt to Kansas City in a move underscoring his disappointing tenure with New York. Things have not gone according to plan with the Chiefs so far, but head coach Andy Reid has expressed confidence in Toney playing a role in the team’s offense in 2024. With the coming season doubling as his walk year, it will be interesting to see how he performs.

The Chiefs won a second straight Super Bowl last season, but they did so without a consistent or efficient passing game. Tight end Travis Kelce will remain the team’s top receiving target for at least two more years, but it came as no surprise that the team has emphasized WR additions this offseason. Marquise Brown was signed in free agency on a one-year deal, and Kansas City moved up in the first round of the draft to select Xavier Worthy.

Both of those players are positioned to have a notable impact in 2024, something which may not be the case for Toney. The team still has fellow wideouts Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice in the fold (although the latter’s future is currently in question). Staying healthy will be an obvious priority for Toney, and doing so could create a path to playing time in 2024. If that does not turn out to be the case, however, he will likely make his first trip to free agency without much fanfare.

2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 24th, 2024 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2021 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars ($25.66MM): Exercised
  2. QB Zach Wilson, Broncos* ($22.41MM): Declined
  3. QB Trey Lance, Cowboys** ($22.41MM): Declined
  4. TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($10.88MM): Exercised
  5. WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($21.82MM): Exercised
  6. WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($15.59MM): Exercised
  7. T Penei Sewell, Lions ($19MM): Extended through 2029
  8. CB Jaycee Horn, Panthers ($12.47MM): Exercised
  9. CB Patrick Surtain, Broncos ($19.82MM): Exercised
  10. WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($15.59MM): Extended through 2028
  11. QB Justin Fields, Steelers*** ($25.66MM): Declined
  12. DE Micah Parsons, Cowboys ($21.32MM): Exercised
  13. T Rashawn Slater, Chargers ($19MM): Exercised
  14. OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jets ($13.31MM): Exercised
  15. QB Mac Jones, Jaguars**** ($25.66MM): Declined
  16. LB Zaven Collins, Cardinals ($13.25MM): Declined
  17. T Alex Leatherwood, Raiders: N/A
  18. LB Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins ($13.3MM): Exercised
  19. LB Jamin Davis, Commanders ($14.48MM): Declined
  20. WR Kadarius Toney, Chiefs***** ($14.35MM): Declined
  21. DE Kwity Paye, Colts ($13.4MM): Exercised
  22. CB Caleb Farley, Titans ($12.47MM): Declined
  23. T Christian Darrisaw, Vikings ($16MM): Exercised
  24. RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($6.79MM): Declined
  25. RB Travis Etienne, Jaguars ($6.14MM): Exercised
  26. CB Greg Newsome, Browns ($13.38MM): To be exercised
  27. WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens ($14.35MM): N/A; extended through 2026
  28. DE Payton Turner, Saints ($13.39MM): Declined
  29. CB Eric Stokes, Packers ($12.47MM): Declined
  30. DE Greg Rousseau, Bills ($13.39MM): Exercised
  31. LB Odafe Oweh, Ravens ($13.25MM): Exercised
  32. LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Buccaneers ($13.25MM): Declined

* = Jets traded Wilson on April 22, 2024
** = 49ers traded Lance on August 25, 2023
*** = Bears traded Fields on March 16, 2024
**** = Patriots traded Jones on March 10, 2024
***** = Giants traded Toney on October 27, 2022

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